“Shouldn’t have done it, shouldn’t have done it,” he said, tossing another shovelful in. “I was the one guy you shouldn’t have done that to.”

He grunted, pushing more dirt into the hole that was almost filled in. “Now I’m gonna have to leave town, and it’s all your fault.”

He wiped away sweat that might’ve had a tear mixed in with it. “I loved you so much.” He patted the earth once, tamping it down. “I’m just glad you’ll never be able to hurt anyone else like you did me.”

As he walked away the wind gusted once more, cutting through the pine needles overhead, and almost drowned out her screams from underground.